Co-operative Energy lends its support to Business In The Community

Posted on 7 April 2014

Leading energy provider, Co-operative Energy, which is part of Midcounties Co-operative – a Sunday Times ‘Top 25 Best Big Companies to Work For’ winner - will be educating pupils from Black Country schools about the energy industry and the exciting career opportunities available, when it attends Business In The Community’s Your Future, Your Choice careers event, which is being supported by Black Country LEP.

Co-operative Energy, which is committed to supporting the community and was also awarded the Sunday Times ‘Giving Something Back’ award, recognising its contribution to colleagues, communities and members, will be attending the event, which is taking place on Tuesday 8 April at Wolverhampton Racecourse. Supported by Black Country LEP, the aim of the event, is to inspire and educate pre-GCSE pupils from local schools about the variety of careers that exist within various different sectors and industries, as well as elaborating on the qualifications needed to enter such careers.

Ramsay Dunning, Group General Manager at Co-operative Energy said: “As a society we’re passionate about helping out and supporting the community. When the opportunity arose to support the BITC Your Future, Your Choice event, we were keen to be involved and offer advice and guidance to young, aspiring students, on the energy industry and the huge and exciting career opportunities available.”

Dave Hughes, Regional Education Manager for Business in the Community added: “This event forms part of our flagship Business Class education programme, which matches schools and businesses together in sustainable partnerships to help improve young people’s employability skills and knowledge of the world of work.

“With young people facing stiff competition for jobs, we want local employers to show students the variety of job roles available in their businesses and to explain the skills and aptitudes they’re looking for in potential employees. It’s great to have the Co-operative Energy involved and we’re keen to encourage other companies to follow their lead”.

Co-operative Energy will be one of 22 businesses volunteering at the event. Around 600-700 pupils are expected to attend who will be split into groups and rotated from one business zone to another to ensure they gain a full understanding and appreciation of the wide range of career prospects available to them.

Part of The Midcounties Co-operative, Co-operative Energy supplies gas and electricity to more than 200,000 customers.

It’s hard to have missed the number of stories in the media recently about smaller energy firms going bust. One of the reasons why these firms have struggled recently is due to the sharp increases that we have seen in the costs of gas and electricity in the past year.